To what extent does this sport, hobby, job or whichever you want to refer to it as, become costly? In my opinion, it can be relatively in-expensive, however the problem occurs when reliability, longevity and patience takes a back seat. How much are you willing to spend? Sure, a lot of people/builders can slam together parts on the cheap. But, in the long-run paying a bit more; ordering higher-quality parts could potentially save you from headaches and down time at the engine shop later-on. Trust me, I’ve seen it all too often and speaking from experience, shamefully some enthusiasts in our industry are being taken advantage of by engine builders because the consumers are unfamiliar with parts, procedures and the down right general cost of things, period. Just like a boomerang, junk engines are leaving shops and coming back more and more often just as soon as they had left. Coming from a background of working in a high-end shop like QMP in Chatsworth, California, we would hear of horror stories that would make our guts twist and faces cringe. Yes, racing in general can be a rich man’s sport, but if you do the research, and find a high quality engine shop you would only be spending money once—not two or three times over. Not to mention the down-time you would be encountering pulling your engine in and out of the car. The ideology is simple: “You get what you pay for.”
The persistent problem of being taken advantage of is a frequent occurrence. We (The industry) are only hurting ourselves though. Our industry not only relies on return customers but also on new, up and coming enthusiasts. We must maintain relationships with current customers and build new relationships with new consumers in order for “us” to survive. It’s up to us to take care of this industry and it’s our sole responsibility to take care of them. We are already combating high fuel costs and I would hate to see this industry die for selfish reasons on the part of engine shops. Besides, why would we bite the hand that feeds?